A few years ago I met a new neighbor, and in the course of getting to know each other it was soon revealed that he was a cyclist. Inevitably this led us into my shop to dive deeper into all things bicycles. He asked about various bikes in my shop to which I have many, many stories, but before too long he asked why I did not have a gravel bike. To this I explained that gravel riding did not interest me. It seemed to be the worst of road and mountain bike riding combined – slower on both pavement and dirt, respectively. Hell, the worst part of riding a mountain bike was when I had to ride gravel roads to connect single track!

Regardless of my personal riding preference, there was no denying the rapidly growing interest in gravel at that time. Consequently, we were developing a suspension fork for gravel, and the prototypes needed ride time. Additionally, I preach authenticity and “walk the talk”, so I needed to do some gravel riding or be a hypocrite. I asked Brad Delaney over at Litespeed to design a frame for me, because at the time they did not have a frame designed around the taller height of a suspension fork.

In 30+ years of developing bicycle products, I have seen and experienced a lot. So, it’s amazing to me when I am totally surprised, like the time I got on a 29er with modern geo in 2012 and my world got turned upside down! I remember that ride at Harvey Bear like it was yesterday, and that was the case from the very first ride on that Litespeed gravel bike. It was a blast; I had FUN. Sure, it was slower on the pavement sections than a road bike and not nearly as capable off-road as a mountain bike, but it turned gravel and dirt roads from things that had to be endured like bad-tasting cough medicine, into newfound enjoyment. I rode just to ride, not consumed with speed, watts, time, or scary obstacles. I explored neighborhoods, tried roads that I thought went nowhere, and made loops that made no sense on road or mountain bikes. It was like being a kid again and experiencing the freedom of trying new things without rules.

Interestingly, I see a strong parallel between the popularity of gravel bikes now and mountain bikes during the boom of the late 80s and early 90s. Back then a large percentage of people were drawn to mountain bikes because road riding had become too limiting. From needing to act, ride, and dress a certain way to ride a road bike, to the elitist attitude that if you did not do things the right way you were not a real road rider. Many just wanted to ride a bicycle, and the mountain bike promised adventure, fun… and freedom. Thus, a large percentage of mountain bikes were ridden everywhere but on gnarly singletrack.

I see history repeating itself, as there is a growing elitist piece to current mountain biking. If one does not hit big gap jumps, hang their bike over a tailgate, use a certain jargon, or wear certain gear, then one is not a real mountain biker. Enter the gravel bike that, for a time anyway, welcomes one and all in any manner. Want to ride in cut-off jeans, carry a PBJ sandwich in a handlebar bag, and stop ten times in a two-hour ride? Sure, why not? Many are riding gravel bikes just to ride, rather than be a part of a group or participate in a defined sport. One could argue the best gift that bicycles can deliver is the fun of moving across terrain with wind in the face, with no hard plan other than to “let’s see where this goes.”

But again history repeats, and I can see the ominous clouds forming down the gravel road. I love racing and have been doing it for forty-six years. But racing is not for everybody. Nonetheless, the bicycle industry and media have over-relied on racing and extreme riding to sell cycling for decades. It’s not limited to the marketing – the number of bikes that are designed for racers has little correlation with the make-up of the overall rider community. So now we see racing gravel bikes that cater to a small minority and may not be optimal for most riders. These bikes and how gravel is portrayed by the media can bear little resemblance to the adventure, fun, and freedom that attracted many to gravel in the first place. Before you know it, gravel too may be seen as exclusive, and even elitist. Maybe this time we can learn from the past and keep the pure, simple fun of riding alive.